Frankin Kirkland

In a 6th grade essay, Frank Kirkland wrote that he liked math, was good at it, and planned to be an engineer. Frank was born in Wheeling, WV, September 8, 1943, to Franklin B. and Carrie C. (Suppes) Kirkland. Having grown to 13 in a house without running water, Frank decided at a very early age that his way to have a life out of the mines and steel foundries in WV was education. He was successful in school and earned full scholarships for both his BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.

In 1967, he began a 43-year career at General Dynamics and (now) Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth. In Advanced Design, he contributed to and often led, from concept to production, some of the most significant aerospace developments in those four decades, including the F-16, stealth technology, the A12, and finishing his career as Program Director for Vehicle Systems for the F-35 JSF. In their expressions of support during his illness, colleagues have reminded us that as a boss, he was an humble, respected, and admired mentor. He had an eye for matching talent to opportunity and ushered many young engineers onto successful careers. Steady and confident, his rule was to hire people smarter than himself. In several instances, he ended up working for people whose careers he had helped launch. One of his colleagues wrote to us: Frank was a great engineer, but an even greater man.

Frank felt so fortunate to have achieved his education that he helped both his younger brother and sister go to college. Throughout his life, he was generous with his time and resources to support family, friends, church, and community. Frank was also a sports car enthusiast and enjoyed road rallying and autocross in his TR-4 and 240-Zs; among the limited memorabilia he included in the move to Ohio are 59 trophy plates from those events. He loved to travel and appreciated getting to either work in or visit most of the northern European countries, all states and countries in North America, New Zealand, Australia, as well as Israel, Egypt, Turkey, several Asian countries. Upon retirement, Frank resumed his hobby of watercolor painting and produced scores of paintings in his classes at The Upstairs Gallery in Arlington. Retirement also allowed Frank to fulfill his dream to have ‘a place that was not Texas in the summer.’ Frank embraced summers, holidays, fishing (sometimes catching), four wheeling, bocce ball, pickleball, painting, and more time with Colorado family while at their home in the Colorado mountains.

Engineering and sports cars became his second and third loves; family was his first. He married Nancy in 1977 and they had two sons. He downgraded from a 240Z to a Toyota station wagon. He was a devoted, supportive, and above all, an unconditionally loving husband and father. He was very proud of his sons and would always say they were the most important thing he ever did.

Frank was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in the brain on Memorial Day this year; he died August 12th. He was preceded in death by his Father, Franklin B., mother, Carrie C (Suppes), brother, Jack, and sister, Joanne.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy (Sundwall) and sons’ families: Eric and Brooke with Graham, Neely, and Beckett of Colorado Springs, CO; Adam and Elizabeth with Josephine of Columbus, OH. He was an admired and well-loved Papa, uncle, in-law, cousin, and colleague, and his passing is grieved by many.

Those wishing to honor their relationship with Frank with a gift may make such contributions to City Point UMC, 7301 Glenview Dr., 76180 (citypointumc.org); Hospice of Central Ohio, The OSU Wexner Medical Center, 410 W 10th Ave, Columbus 43210 (hospiceofcentralohio.org), or a charity of your choice.